Ever been bitten?

[millertime89]

So, I'm curious - please post the following with your own answers:
1.) How long have you been keeping snakes?
2.) What is the biggest one you've ever kept (size and species)?
3.) Have you ever been bitten before?
3a.) If yes, how many times have you been bitten?
3b.) If yes, how badly were you bitten?
3c.) If yes, what were the circumstances?
4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to avoid getting bitten?
I'm curious as to how many keepers have actually been bitten, and what the circumstances were that it happened. Purely for educational and personal curiosity purposes - ABSOLUTELY NO JUDGING.

My responses:
1) 3 years
2) 15ish ft retic
3) yes
3a) I don't know, I try to keep it to a minimum
3b) Not too bad, no teeth were left, just teeth marks
3c) The two worst were a feed response when I opened a cage and a very head defensive snake that accidentally got booped in the nose. Both were around 7-8ft.
4) ALWAYS find the snake first and for the love of good hook train and learn to read their body language.

[jpsteele80]

1.) For about 22 years, got my first one around 12yrs old
2.) Biggest one i ever had was a 16 Burm (going to break that with my retics though)
3.)Yes
3a.) could probably count on one hand how many times i've been bitten
3b.)It didn't need stitches or anything but hurt like hell
3c.)i had just feed my 8ft Burm a rabbit and had to go into his cage to fix something and made the mistake of getting to close and he latched onto my hand( wont ever make that mistake again)
4.)Best advise to not gettting bitten is don't ever let your guard down around any snake.

[Derek1]

1) 10 years off and on
2) I've only kept Colubrid's so no large
3) Yes, but only from a wild Diamondback Water Snake
a) once
b) Didn't barely feel it but I bleed like a stuck pig
c) Too many beers and careless
4) I seem like I can tell if a snake is pissed or not. My new Cal King shakes her tale a lot but is a beauty to handle. I mostly go fist in then open my fingers to handle, I figure if they strike at my fist they won't get a grip. Also the key is not to be scared or timid. Get off in there like you've done it before. I'll get bit by a captive soon enough. But I'm a beekeeper so a bite isn't much worse than a sting, so far

[CosmicOwl]

1.) I can't say exactly, but it's been off and on since I was a child. Probably 15-17, chronologically.
2.) When I was young, my father had a few ball pythons. But my personal largest snake is a corn snake. He's almost 4 feet long. My grey rat snake will probably end up being a lot bigger, though.
3.) Yes
3a.) Probably less than 5 times.
3b.) Not very badly.
4.) Take your time. Don't press a bad position with a snake and don't let your ego get in the way.

[drumcrush]

1) 2 years now (although I've had other reptiles since I was 8).
2) my king is my biggest so far.
3.)yes
a: I've been bitten by a few wild garters, my king snagged me once when I first got her
b:not too bad, garters drew some blood. King didn't even make a mark.
c:feeding error with my king, and attempting to catch wild garters
4.)don't rush feeding, pay attention to what the snake is doing and learn to read its body language.

[SSSSnakes]

So, I'm curious - please post the following with your own answers:
1.) How long have you been keeping snakes?
2.) What is the biggest one you've ever kept (size and species)?
3.) Have you ever been bitten before?
3a.) If yes, how many times have you been bitten?
3b.) If yes, how badly were you bitten?
3c.) If yes, what were the circumstances?
4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to avoid getting bitten?
I'm curious as to how many keepers have actually been bitten, and what the circumstances were that it happened. Purely for educational and personal curiosity purposes - ABSOLUTELY NO JUDGING.


1- Over 33 years
2- 18' Retic
3- yes
3a- around 10 times
3b- by a Western Diamondback Rattlesnake, spent a week in the hospital
3c- short cutted safety handling procedures
4- safety first, patience and follow all safety protocol

[IW17]

1. Over twenty years
2. Burmese python roughly twelve feet
3. Yes
A. Juveniles, more times than I can count, adults only twice
B. Not really, more surprise than pain
C. Juvenile snakes, just typical defensive behavior. Adults, over confident handling animals I was unfamiliar with.
4. Use a hook or other tool to determine the temperament of an animal, and take your time. Most bites, defensive or feed response are avoidable 99% of the time. Get a feel for every animal. Some are defensive in the enclosure, some are nervous animals regardless. Always wash your hands. It's a good way to ensure your not passing germs to your snakes, and this habit will make sure you never smell like food. And lastly, don't be afraid. It will cause you to rush and make mistakes.

[Jim Smith]

How long have you been keeping snakes? I caught and kept snakes as a kid for about 10 years. Now, I've only been keeping them for two years
2.) I only keep Colubrids so nothing too large 4-5 feet
3.) Have you ever been bitten before? Yes
3a.) If yes, how many times have you been bitten? I have been bitten as a kid more times that I can remember, usually from freshly captured snakes
3b.) If yes, how badly were you bitten? Since all the bites I received were from small snakes, none of the bites were serious.
3c.) If yes, what were the circumstances? I did have one time when I intentionally aggravated an 18 inch long garter snake to get it to bite me so that I could show a friend that snake bites were not serious. Unfortunately, when the snake struck, I instinctively pulled away and one of his teeth had punctured a small artery in the fleshy area between my thumb and fore finger. That little bite bled like a stuck pig. I actually cupped my hands together and filled and emptied them three times (probably about a full cup of blood). As if the guy wasn't already scared enough of snakes, now he was terrified.
4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to avoid getting bitten? Just be careful and try not to startle your snake. Pay attention to its body language and if it is tracking you or your hands as you approach.
I'm curious as to how many keepers have actually been bitten, and what the circumstances were that it happened. Purely for educational and personal curiosity purposes - ABSOLUTELY NO JUDGING.

[MM1]

[QUOTE=millertime89;936170]So, I'm curious - please post the following with your own answers:
1.) How long have you been keeping snakes?
2.) What is the biggest one you've ever kept (size and species)?
3.) Have you ever been bitten before?
3a.) If yes, how many times have you been bitten?
3b.) If yes, how badly were you bitten?
3c.) If yes, what were the circumstances?
4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to avoid getting bitten?
I'm curious as to how many keepers have actually been bitten, and what the circumstances were that it happened. Purely for educational and personal curiosity purposes - ABSOLUTELY NO JUDGING.

1) 32 yrs, but one animal spans that entire time, with a few others earlier on.
2) Haitian Boa, currently about 33 yrs old and about 6.5 ft
3) never by the boa. Been viciously attacked by a ribbon and a garter though.
3a) maybe 3-4 in total
3b) not bad at all, no broken skin
3c) just picking them up carelessly, as inexperienced 13 year olds are prone to do.
4). Rudy, the Haitian Boa, is very docile, react more passive aggressive, by musking/peeing on you if he's in a mood. But I still practice hook training to differentiate between feeding and other interactions. Also, I don't really grab so much as slide a closed hand or forearm underneath the body and smoothly lift; or even use the stick/hook to get underneath the body. Rudy and other snakes I've gotten a chance to handle seem to relax more when you basically turn yourself into a perch; as opposed grabbing like a predator might. Just my experience.

[fedupdon]

3x one by a western cottonmouth the person with me gave me the wrong bag spent 3 days in hospital 2western massasugas stopped to move snake from re truck was almost on him it was so a that it looked like a rat snake didn't go to the hospital 3 was western diamoundback was working in oil patch tearing up plank re while picking up planks got hit on right hand waited 24 hrs then went hospital always know what bag or what you are picking up

[millertime89]

These are fantastic responses, thank you everyone!

[Shann]

1.) Snakes for only three and a half years. Reptiles in general for almost 20.
2.) BCI - 5.5 ft
3.) Yes
3a.) Three times
3b.) None too bad. The worst bite I had was when she was a baby. The bite didn't hurt at all, but a tooth broke off in my skin and I got an infection from that. So that was probably the worst. The other times were startling because she was 5+ feet, but not bad.
3c.) Two of the three were feeding responses. They were all "my fault" because I either didn't pay attention to her body language, or I wasn't careful/experienced enough to make sure she was aware that I wasn't food. Lesson learned in all of those cases.
4.) I think what has already been said is the most important, but routine can also be helpful (though not necessary in all cases). Understand the individual snake, establish a way to work with it (hook training, feeding routine, etc.), and stick to it. Knowing the body language is important as well. If the snake is hook trained, don't skip on it one day and just reach in. Routine is helpful both for the snake, and for the keeper.

[Pareeeee]

1.) How long have you been keeping snakes? I think around 4 years. I did have a wc Northern Redbelly for a while as a teenager though.

2.) What is the biggest one you've ever kept (size
and species)? Ball Python, 40 inches

3.) Have you ever been bitten before? Nope

4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to
avoid getting bitten?

Handle often (but not to often!) No matter what people say, snakes have the (albeit limited) ability to learn. Some species will get used to handling. Don't handle during shed, during or within 48hrs of feeding. Be careful at feeding time especially. My corn almost got me because she thought my finger was the mouse fuzzy. She gets very excited when she smells mouse.

[Tsubaki]

1.) How long have you been keeping snakes?
About 16 years, started young.
2.) What is the biggest one you've ever kept (size and species)?
18' retic.
3.) Have you ever been bitten before?
Yes
3a.) If yes, how many times have you been bitten?
Twice unless you count nippy babies that i handled without gloves, 99% show and they don't break the skin.
3b.) If yes, how badly were you bitten?
First time wasn't all that bad, second time it was bleeding pretty badly.
3c.) If yes, what were the circumstances?
First bite was an 3 year old beauty snake, hand smelled like cat. Apparently cats smelled tasty to that critter, it wasn't as much of a bite.. more like being eaten. The beauty just started chewing on my hand, it was kind of cute and we were all laughing, decided to convinced her i wasn't edible though because it did sting.
-
Second time was a burmese python owned by a friend, usually a docile animal. Vet removed an abces from her mouth, he held her while i opened her mouth to give her some antibiotics. The first time we did that, he let go of her head right after i was done. The sheer amount of cursewords following when she immediately lunged and bit my hand, ensured he did not let go that quickly the next time we treated her. I still have a small scar on my hand.
4.) What is your one BEST piece of advice to avoid getting bitten?
Don't treat them like a cuddly animal, never be too trusting. Wash your hands after petting cats. (or anything furry):D And make sure everyone round knows what he/she's doing.

[millertime89]

First bite was an 3 year old beauty snake, hand smelled like cat. Apparently cats smelled tasty to that critter, it wasn't as much of a bite.. more like being eaten. The beauty just started chewing on my hand, it was kind of cute and we were all laughing, decided to convinced her i wasn't edible though because it did sting.

Funniest story so far!